U.p.a. Invites Leading Jewish Welfare Funds to Confer on Expansion of Governing Bodies

Jewish welfare funds in key cities in the United States were invited by the United Palestine Appeal to send two representatives each to a conference at which the question of implementing the U.P.A. decision for expanding its governing bodies through inclusion of one third representation of Jewish communities will be discused, it was announced here today by Herman L. Weisman, acting national chairman of the U.P.A. The time and place of the conference will be announced in the near future.

The 103 welfare funds which received this invitation were also the recipients of a memorandum from Mr. Weisman assuring them that “the United Palestine Appeal is equal to bringing about the most effective and representative organization which will ensure a completely unified effort enabling the American Jewish community to rise to the unprecedented opportunity for Jewish settlement in Israel and for the relief to our brethren overseas.”

Noting that the United Palestine Appeal is “cognizant of the necessity of promptly organizing the United Jewish Appeal effort for 1949,” Mr. Weisman said in his memorandum that while discussions of a precise formula for representation are not yet completed, “the executive bodies of the U.P.A. and Joint Distribution Committee are getting ready to re-establish the United Jewish Appeal for 1949.”

Reviewing the background of the move to expand the U.P.A.’s governing bodies, Mr. Weisman pointed out that the “need for broadening participation has favorably been considered by the leadership of the U.P.A.” and added: “The emergence of Israel as the prime factor in fund-raising projects in the United States and the magnificent role played by Jews of all elements in the unprecedented response to Jewish needs in the last few year, prompted the consummation of this process”